Letters
by chuxter
Summary: The letter arrived about dinner time..
1. Chapter 1

_**Read this please guys, it matters :**_

_Hello all, I am so thankful for all of your support, it was very heart warming to know that people cared. :)  
I was sitting about, twiddling my thumbs, and I'm one of those people that simply must be doing or thinking of something.  
So this new idea for a fic hit me, and I remember thinking 'oh, what a shame I don't write..' which, of course, is utterly stupid._

_So, this is a taster of my new fic, 'letters' **please tell me what you think**, so I know whether or not I should continue._

_Thanks, beej :) :_

The letter arrived at dinner time, the maid brought it in on a tray, and gave it to her mistress, a silent look on her face.

The mistress looked at the letter apprehensively, turning it over in her hands and sliding a quick glance across the table.

Her and her husband were newlyweds; they'd been married a month, and, every week, on the same day, Monday, she had received a letter at dinner time, approximately six thirty, the exact moment he had put the ring on her finger.

The letter was on foolscap paper, and, from what her husband had observed, was written in black ink, with a miniature package attatched to the back, what the letter said, or, what was in the packet, the husband did not know, but, after seeing the affect it had on his wife; her pale skin and darting eyes, he was set on finding out.

_I thought that I would slowly reintroduce myself to writing, seeings my last peice was ruined after so much time and care, and I doubt I'll put too much effort into this yet; not until I'm back on my feet._

_Thanks again :)  
Now PLEASE review xx_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello all, well, I am officially tired; on work experience.  
Grabbed a minute before Holmes is on ITV3 to scrawl the next chappy seeing as the first was so enthusiastically accepted by readers. :)_

_Apologies, I won't be doing 'thankyou' notes for reviews this chappy; too tired, I'll do them next chappy, I promise._

_Enjoy:_

"Please sir!" Our visitor exclaimed, "If you refuse to help me I don't know where I shall turn!"

He was a young fellow, about five and twenty, I put him, and he was most certainly enthusiastic, this very enthusiam made Holmes back into a corner of forced interest in the matter, Holmes smiled weakly, not a look I was very accustomed to seeing, but I knew Holmes had a headache and this man's desperation was enought to tire me, let alone the detective and his split head.

"I suppose I _might_ look into the matter." He said, a pained look on his face.

"Oh! **Thank you! Thankyou sir!**" Our newest client exclaimed eccentricly, I watched Holmes wince, and, I am rather ashamed to admit, I smiled.

"Well.." whispered Holmes when the young man had left, "Well.. Oh Watson, do be so kind as to turn down the gas and shut the door on your way down." he said.

I moved to protest but Holmes' flinch at the sound of the shift, though completely catching me off guard, convinced me of what must be done, "Holmes!" I stated, "I will not step a single _foot _outside until you are feeling better."

"Okay, okay." He hushed, a slight sob of pain in his voice, "But don't move again."

I smiled, pleased and settled again, much to the anger of my friend, "See, Holmes? This is why you don't hide in duckponds all night in order to listen in on a criminal meeting." I stated.

"It solved the case didn't it?" He grumbled sulkily, "Now be quiet."

I surpressed a small laugh and settled for smiling coyly instead.

_Thanks again :)  
Now PLEASE review xx_


	3. Chapter 3

_Thanks to gasps dilletante2, KCS, marciawc24936, Cat, 221Bee, bcbdrums, Velvet Green, Westron Wynde, Kadal, xravenscroftx, aragonite, Kadigan and E Phoenix for their splendid reviews :) and also a big thanks to all of you who +alerted and +favourited._

_Sorry it took so long to upload, I've been doing a huge Beta reading job for luvnmarauders and I've started too many stories to keep track of (oops) but I promise I'll update all my stories for you now to say sorry._

_Enjoy_

Holmes was quite apprehensive of the case I must say, indeed, he seemed to think it would be quite boring, what was there to do? he asked, another woman with some mysterious love affair, no doubt, which, on her marriage, had taken a turn for the worse and changed, inevitably, into a case of black mailing.

"Oh Watson, wherever has the real crime gone?" he sighed.

"Holmes." I said, a hint of warning in my voice, "Let's not go along this road again, hmm? We've talked about all this and you know it's got to stop."

He sighed again, turning away from me and looking out the window, "What an uncommonly bright day." he commented, "We should no doubt call upon this new client of ours, what was his name?"

"_Ours _Holmes?" I asked testily.

"Oh, if you would be so kind as to join me Watson, now what was his name?" he said quickly, covering his mistakes.

"Mr. Jonathon Blackhall." I answered, reaching for my hat, "And I _shall _join you Holmes, although I wish you wouldn't _assume.._"

"Oh, hope, my dear friend, _hope._" He cut across.

I frowned vaguely in his direction befor heading out of the door to call a cab, Holmes followed soon after and together we went to Blackhall Manor, and what a Manor it was, it certainly suited the darkness of it's name, for the windows were all dark and lifeless, the garden grew not a single flower and the grass upon its great expanse of lawns was all dead and brown, the trees bore no leaves though it was a summers day and the building itself seemed to loom before us like a burnt out, forgotten, old church, it almost seemed to stare at us, its front door, like a mouth agape in disgust and hatred, "What an awful place." I mumured to my friend, who simply nodded and continued walking up the path towards that large black door.  
As he reached it I could not help myself from filling with tension and anxiety, for this place felt like the house of the dead and I had become almost paranoid; my skin prickled as I tried to convince myself we weren't being watched and as I struggled to hold the suspense and the horror down in the pit of my stomach.

I rushed towards my friend, suddenely anxious not to be alone and the pair of us stood for a moment facing eachother, cold as Holmes might be, I could see he was not completely immune to the slight twinge of trepidation that the manor inspired, we turned to face the door, shoulder to shoulder and then Holmes, overcoming his fear first, knocked with the large brass head of a snake, whick seemed about to strike at us, bared fangs and slitted eyes.

"What an unusual knocker to have on a door." I gulped and Holmes tapped my shoulder, it was a comfort to have such a man present with me although now we were both here I was certain I had left _something _in my surgeory that needed serious and immediate consideration, I pondered excusing myself, Holmes could clearly cope, then immediately after I felt cruel for thinking such thoughts, what if I were to lee Holmes here and he were to die?

"That won't happen." I said aloud, through gritted teeth.

My friend looked at me, one eyebrow raised, "I do hope not." he stated, clearly the same thoughts had been in his own mind, "No one's answered yet, perhaps they're not in." he commented, returning his gaze to the door.

"We could call back some other time." I suggested hopefully.

He started to move his gaze awa from the door and I was certain he would agree when it opened, too late.

_IENJOYEDTHISTORYNOWIWILLREVIEW _(subliminalmessagingchuxter.) XD


	4. Chapter 4

I must confess, my dear reader, that i expected a croaky old butler to answer the door or some pale maid with a scar around her throat and wide, bulging eyes.

However, that is not what we saw when the door opened, instead we were confronted with an empty, black corridor, scowling portraits hung on the wall, their eyes glaring down at us through dusty cobwebs.

"Maybe we got the wrong address." Holmes murmured the suggestion while peering apprehensively towards the end of the corridor.

I almost turned away but then a faint glimmer in the mist caught my eye, I paused for a moment and prayed Holmes hadn't seen it, prayed that if there was ever a single moment when his observation failed him, it would be now.

It wasn't.

Within a single moment he was gone, the corridor wasn't incredibly dark but he still dissappeared into it with surprising speed.  
I took a deep breath, a vain attempt at steadying my nerves, then I plunged in after him, at least I'd be with him in there.  
Wouldn't I?

_IREALLYENJOYEDTHISCHAPTERNOWIWILLLEAVEAREVIEWANDLETTHEAUTHORKNOWWHATITHINK. (Subliminal messaging Chuxter) xD_

_Thanks to KCS, Kadal and The Fool's Hope for their reviews, they were read with amusement and pleasure, there's nothing I love writing more than a bit of suspense._


	5. Chapter 5

You can't imagine the stomach churning fear that overwhelmed me when I realised I couldn't find Holmes, I wanted to scream but I couldn't for fear of who might hear me.

I sat in a small corner at the far end of the hall, wild, restless eyes staring about the corridor, ever more wary of the picture on the walls, I was sure I saw figure moving around me in the shadow but there was no sound and none ever approached me so I weakly convinced myself that it was my mind playing tricks on me.

My eyes flicked cautiously to the stairs on my left, the bookcase on my right, I rested my hands of the floor and shifted my posistion, terrifyingly awar of every minute sound I made.

My hand rested on something hard and smooth, I lifted it up, a broch? No, a ring, a gold wedding ring, I turned it over and over in my fingers, formulating a plan.

I would leave the Manor and go to Scotland Yard, tell them everything that had happened then come back here with half a dozen strong police officers, search the building, find Holmes and drag him back to Baker Street then refuse to ever come on a case with him again.

I thought about the huge expanse of gardens separating me from the road, I had walked further and yet this still seemed an impossible feat.  
I pictured myself running wildly through the grounds, being chased by some unknown foe, crows screeching at me from the branches of trees, their rusty voices slicing through the morning air, for some reason I could not imagine sunshine, not in a place like this.

I took a moment to gather my nerves and then launched myself up, forcing myself to run to the door, I grabbed the handle and pulled, it didn't open, I tried it agin, rattling the door knob desperately, it was locked, I was trapped, a small wail emitted from my lips, I didn't even remember closing the door!

I convinced myself I was not alone, someone else was here, someone else was watching me, and whoever it was they had taken Holmes, silently they had passed me in the shadows and taken him, where? Who knew, they had disappeared without a trace, then they had returned, or maybe their accomplice had come and locked the door, maybe there were a whole team of them, God knows how many, undetectable to the detective, invisible to me.

I heard a soft footfall on the stair behind me, felt a hand slip over my mouth, I jolted and tried to cry out but the unkown grabbed me firmly around the chest with his spare arm, smothering all sound and movement.

My mind went into a flurry of thoughts, I couldn't breathe, I felt my kicks becoming weaker, my short frenzy was at it's end, I knew there was no point fighting, plus the fact I was certain this was my only chance of finding Holmes.

So long as I was _alive _I would find him.

So long as I was alive.

_OOHWHATAGOODCHAPTERTHATWASITHINKILLJUSTTELLTHEAUTHORHOWMUCHILIKEDTHATINAQUICKREVIEW (SubliminalMessagingChuxter) xD_


	6. Chapter 6

_Thanks to Velvet Green and Kadal for their reviews! Recieved with joy I assure you._

_Also thanks to xravenscroftx for her review, something about it seemed to subconciously make me want to write more, hmm, almost like some sort of- i dunno, subliminal messaging or something. ;D_

_Enjoy my lovelies:_

Next thing I knew I was looking at Holmes, "Holmes, oh thank goodness you're all right!" I gasped, my voice husky.

His finger flickered up to where his lips would be (I could not see his face for the shadow) and he took my hand, leading me through the shadows of the hallway, we reached the bookcase and he stopped, turning to face me, he did not shift his gaze as he reached up for a book, I watched him, confused, this was no time for reading.

He pulled the book halfway from the shelf and suddenly we started to turn, the bookcase was turning around into a hidden room and we were going with it, as I caught my last glimpse of the hallway I saw a foot stepping down on the stairs, "Holmes, we're being followed!" I gasped.

"Watson?" Holmes' voice replied - from the stairs.

I felt my heart stop, if that was Holmes, who was this?

_WOWTHETENSIONMIGHTJUSTKILLMESOITHINKISHOULDLEAVEAQUICKREVIEWFORTHEAUTHORTOENJOY. (SubliminalMessagingChuxter) xD_


	7. Chapter 7

_Thanks to KCS, Kadal, xravenscroftx, FoggyKnight, Velvet Green and The Fool's Hope for their reviews xD_

_Sorry I took so long to update - 3 day sleepover._

_Enjoy._

The bookcase trapdoor slammed shut, locking out all noise and light; if possible this room was even shadowier that the last.

I was overcome by the breath-taking silence that followed, my gaze slowly shifted round to the man stood opposite me, he seemed suspended in time, my heart beating a suspenseful rhythm in my ears.

Suddenly he launched himself towards me, I stood, frozen, and waited for the seemingly inevitableimpact, the hard crack of metal as it hit my head, the warm tingle of blood as it cascaded down over my eyes, the feelings of nausea, trauma, the dizziness that followed, all misted with the blur of loss of blood, I waited, and waited.

It seemed hours before I opened my eyes, though at most it must have been a minute, the moment I did my initial thoughts evaporated, the man was gone, before me there stood nothing but an old coat-hanger, I paused a moment, unsure of how to act, then turned to the bookcase and started to bang on it as hard as I could, "_Holmes?_"I yelled, "_Holmes!_" I waited.

Silence, I tried again, more desperate this time for some sign of life, some word from my companion, there was no answer.

I sat down for a moment, buried in my despair then I felt a deep set anger, mixed with fear, rise up within me, I gave the bookcase an almighty bang, "**Holmes!**"

A record started to play in the corner of the room, slowly, I started to turn my head, my body still facing the bookcase, fear pasted itself over my being like jam over bread, the lights flickered for a moment, I caught a glimpse of a dark figure in the centre of the room, smiling at me devilishly.

The sight curdled the blood in my very veins, I gave a small whimper as I turned, I knew I must face this enemy alone, without Holmes by my side.

The record's volume seemed to rais momentarily as the woman, a German singer, said the word 'stirb' die.

The lights switched on.

_OHMYGODIAMACTUALLYVERYSCAREDITHINKIWILLREVIEWANDTELLTHEAUTHORHOWSCAREDIAM (SubliminalMessagingChuxter)_


	8. Chapter 8

_Thanks to Kadal, FoggyKnight and Velvet Green for their reviews._

_Sorry it took so long to update, live in a house with people who go on the computer at 6 and get off at 11:30._

_Losers._

_Anyway, enjoy:_

I had subconsciously closed my eyes and when I realised I decided that I should probably open them, this was harder said than done, try as I might I could not open my eyes and allow the probability that they would, once more, fall upon that hideous staring face.

After a moment of gathering my strength I opened my left eye and peaked out at the room, it was empty, I sighed with relief, opening the other eye.

I decided to call Holmes' name one last time, "Holmes." I shouted, quick and punctual, almost like a teacher telling off a naughty schoolboy.

There was no reply, I looked around the room, it was furbished with a gramophone, a comfortable looking chair and a table with a vase of dead flowers in the center, all were covered in dust.

I moved across the room to the far door, tension welling up within me as I approached it, my hand reached out to take the handle, brushing it slightly, it creaked open, clearly it had not been closed by the previous user.

As the door opened, after so light a touch, I leapt backwards in shock and suspense, my heart beating at a rate barely even human, more like a rabbit's heartbeat than anything.

This room was covered in cobwebs, and there was not even the minutest sign of life bar a single footprint, etched into the thick layer of dust on the floor.  
The air was leaden and heavy work for even my lungs, I hate to imagine what such air would have done to an asthmatic.

I trod carefully forward, into the room, it was a large hall, evidently used for holding balls and dinner parties for the table was layed with a rotting feast.

I could not understand how this house had come to be so dusty and abandoned in such a short amount of time; only yesterday had he come to us, seeking advice.

I thought back on what he had said;

1. his wife continuously received letters.  
2. a change had come over her.  
3. she had suddenly dismissed all the housemaids and servants during dinner, insisting they leave at that very moment.  
4. she had confined herself to her room.  
5. he had stayed there with her.  
6. after a week he had come to us.

I heard Holmes in my mind, his voice, that of a teacher looking upon a pupil learning a new subject, "Well Watson, I think we can safely deduce that points 3 and 5 explain all that we need to know here, including the rotting food; evidently he did not explore the rest of the house for a week then the next day added, the day he came to us, plus today, when we arrived, leaves the house alone for some 9 days.

"But how can there be such a thick layer of dust after only 9 days?" I found myself asking aloud.

He did not answer, merely pointed upwards towards the roof, I looked up at it, the roof was a light shade of grey and it was speckled with what appeared to be little holes, I squinted, trying to study it better, then realisation hit me in the face like a sack of bricks, bullet holes, the house had been ravaged and the owners had either fled or died, some piece of me, deep within my heart, knew they had not fled.

As I shifted my gaze back down I saw a movement on the other side of the hall, in the shadows of a large balcony that surrounded the room, at first I thought it to be a trick of the light, or my mind, winding me up.

But no, there it was again, a slinky motion in the darkness, a glint of someones eyes, glaring at me, whoever it was they were walking through the shadows, moving towards me at a startling pace, scaling the room, always under the balcony, almost as if they feared the light.

There it was again, a swift movement, a glimpse of a hard, cold face with staring eyes and a concentrated expression, I started to move backwards toward the door, but turned to find it closed and locked, I rattled the handle, the man was coming ever nearer, I pushed the weight of my shoulder against the door, it did not shift, I could almost see him in my mind, moving swiftly through the shadows towards me, crouching low like a lion about to take it's prey.

I banged my full weight into the door again and again, I could hear the soft step, see the eyes watching me from the darkness, feel the breath of the predator on the back of my neck, I tried to call out but my throat had become tight and my mouth, dry.

I tried to move away but the fear had paralyzed me, so I stood there, helpless, as the stranger approached.

_OMGOMGWHATSGONNAHAPPEN?IAMSONERVOUSITHINKIWILLREVIEW.(SubliminalMessagingChuxter) xD_


	9. Chapter 9

_Thank you to aragonite, The Fool's Hope and Velvet Green for reviewing, lmao, actually died when i read aragonite's review!! xD_

_Enjoy:_

I wanted so badly to run, or at least to turn and face this unknown pursuer in the eye, however, I could not, my limbs had become rigid and my breathing, ragged, it did not take a 'private consulting detective' to figure out that any hope of resistance was futile, to say the least.

I heard a footstep behind me, muffled only slightly by the thick fall of dust, I was still trying to move, to run, but I couldn't.

Then slowly the walls started to melt, I heard Holmes' voice, calling my name, "Watson, Watson are you alright?"

I found myself to be propped up in a chair, I was still in the hallway of the house, I looked around me, bewildered, Holmes was crouching before me, looking up into my face, deep worry etched into his features.

"What.. What happened?" I mumbled, my mouth dry, my palms sweaty.

"You appear to have had some sort of nervous attack, I heard you struggling down here and thought someone had grabbed hold of you but when I came down you were alone, your eyes wide open, in fact, you looked right at me, you even spoke to me, 'Holmes, oh thank goodness you're all right!', for a moment I thought.." He paused, " And then your eyes rolled up and you started to jolt and twitch, you screamed out my name several times and you told me we were being followed, you put the fear of God in me Watson, I swear by it."

I sat for a moment, dazzled, "And then what?" I asked.

"You started alluding to things; a ring, a bookcase, a face, rotting flowers and feasts, bullet-holes, all sorts of wild things, practically everything the dark shadows of our imagination can conjure up and throw at us." He stood, stretching his legs, his eyes never leaving mine as if he feared any moment I would re-enter my previous state.

"I'm sorry Holmes." I said, standing and patting his shoulder, he visibly relaxed as I did so, sighing and sitting down in the vacant chair.

I reached down and took his shoulder, he stood and I manouvered him over towards the bookshelf, "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Just a little experiment of my own." I said, not allowing my eyes to leave the book I was going to take, then a thought struck me, if the ring was in the corner where I had found it then I would be certain that the bookshelf would work also, I walked over to the corner and started to search, I felt my friend's eyes observing me curiously.

My hand settled on something cold and smooth, "Aha!" I exclaimed, lifting it up to the light, there it was, a woman's wedding ring, I saw images in my head, a woman screaming, pleading, as she was dragged toward the door by a dark man, he paused raising up her hand and holding it before her eyes, she looked at it through her tears, then he tore it from her finger and thrust it into the corner.

She screamed, and then he.. And then he.. "Watson!"

"Damn!" I yelled as I looked back up at Holmes, "What the hell is it man?"

If it hadn't been Holmes I was looking upon I would have been certain he was trembling, "You did it again." He fairly whimpered, he was trembling!

I stood and moved towards him, he shrunk back, leaning into the bookcase, I stood before him and reached above his head, grasping the book and pulling it forwards, the floor started to move, I smiled, my friend did not, he merely looked up at me and made the simple statement, "Remove one letter and 'friend' becomes 'fiend.'"

I laughed, and entered the room behind the bookcase.

_OMGWATSONISEVIL!IWILLREVIEWRIGHTNOWANDSAYTOTHEAUTHOR'WHATISGOINGTOHAPPENTOHOLMES?' (SubliminalMessagingChuxter) xD_


	10. Chapter 10

_Thank you to KCS, aragonite, Kadal, Velvet Green and FoggyKnight fotr reviewing._

_Enjoy:_

There wasn't much furniture inside the room, a gramophone, a comfortable looking chair and a vase with withering flowers in it, "Not quite dead yet." I commented, "We still have some time."

Holmes looked at me curiously, we had been in the house for some hours now and the shadows in the house were lengthening speedily, the flowers dying at the same rate.

"Some time until what?" he queried.

"Oh Holmes, you see and yet do not observe, can you not see the dust?" I asked him.

"Dust?" He rolled the word over on his tongue as if it were new to him, looking about all the while.

"Yes, and the dying flowers." I stated.

He shook his head, "Why Watson, the flowers are fresh, and the room clean."

I stared at him a moment, then my gaze returned to the room, I looked at the flowers.

_He took off his coat, resting it on a coat peg at the back of the door and scooping to pick her up, she desperately scrabbled at the floor boards in the hallway, 'Do I not love you?' she asked, holding up a pink flower, 'Why do you treat me so?' he crumbled the flower in his hands, throwing the petals into the left pocket of his coat, though there was a hole of some considerable size in the pocket none fell through._

_'It means nothing to me.' he snarled, 'You gave up your love for me when you married that fool.' he hoisted her in the air, carrying her away, f__orgetting to take his coat and close the door, and then.._

"Watson! Please!" Holmes sounded exasperated, I _was _exasperated.

"For goodness sake Holmes, whatever is the.. Oh, don't tell me, I can't be bothered."

I moved toward the far door, opening it to see a large meal spread over the cloth, and there, far in the shadows, leering toward us from the other end of the hall, was the unsightly body of our client, crucified in the shadows.

A quick intake of breath to my right communicated Holmes' shock to me, I moved across the hall, moving to inspect the unfortunate, Holmes beside me.

We stood together, studying the body, after a while he spoke, "The wife." he said, "In a fit of rage."

"No," I replied, "There was a third party, a man. He did it, she begged him not to but he wouldn't stop."

"Nonsense Watson, how can you be so sure? It fits the facts far better to assume his wife was entwined with a man, married our client for money or the title and then found she missed the first man, when her husband refused to release her she did away with him and ran off to her sweetheart's side."

"Surely not Holmes." I tried to persuade him but he was as adamant as ever that his theories were correct.

Eventually he proved me wrong with a series of complicated and intricate deductions, blocking my theory off at every corner.

"You have not been yourself in this house Watson, the fear has changed you."

"I'm sorry Holmes." I apologized, "I just let my imagination get away with me, assuming there were dark figures in the shadows and secrets, threats and blackmail, it was all rather ridiculous of me, I'm sure that really it was all because I was just in want of a good story."

Holmes sighed and patted my back, "Anyway," he said, his eyes suddenly brightening, "If we hurry to Scotland Yard then I have no doubt that our dear Inspector Lestrade will be able to warrant an arrest on this fiendish pair before they escape!"

I smiled and together we walked through the house, leaving the rest of it unexplored.

As we left Holmes stopped by the door, reaching his hand into the right pocket of the only coat hanging there, it was empty, I sighed, closing my eyes, a strange sort of relief washing over me.

Together we stepped outside into the cool night air, the door juddering shut behind us.

As this happened, inside the house, a single pink petal fell from the left pocket of the only coat hanging on the door, it silently fell through the air, swaying from side to side until it landed delicately on the floorboards, alongside the dreams of a happy life of the woman who had first tenderly plucked it.

_It's over guys, thanks for reading, I'm so sad it's over because I was really enjoying it :'( Oh well._

_Review please xx_


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